When it comes to the wear and tear of your hardscaping and patio, most people think of every season, but winter. The majority of damage usually ends up happening during the winter! Between the temperature changes, moisture and treatment of your patio is what will affect your hardscaping the most. Driveway Specialists has a few suggestions to protect your hardscaping and patio this winter.

Most people think that because snow and ice are made up of water that they aren’t harmful. However, water can make its way into the cracks of your hardscaping and if the temperatures get to below 32°F, it will freeze. As it freezes, the water will expand cause the cracks to expand in size. If you live in an area where you see this type of weather a lot, this will continue to happen during the winter. Not only will it be more safe to walk on, but clearing snow and ice from your hardscaping can help to prevent the expansion of cracks.

Some de-icing products contain chemicals can be damaging to concrete or stone. Check with the manufacturer of your hardscaping materials before applying these types of products.

To prevent slipping and falling, often, people will wear spikes to gain traction as they make their way through snow and ice. This can be especially damaging to pavers, concrete and stone. Metal shovels can also damage hardscaping by leaving scratches. To prevent damage and scratches, use a plastic shovel or a metal shove with plastic edging.

If you find that you have damaged your patio or hardscaping this winter, contact the experts at Driveway Specialists. Receive an estimate for our hardscaping services by filling out our online contact form or by calling one of the following phone numbers:

Asphaltpatching becomes a necessity when your parking lot, driveway or road becomes so damaged that the end result is potholes. This can happen without a pavement maintenance plan to take advantage of sealcoating. By utilizing sealcoating, you can help to prolong the life of your asphalt parking lot, driveway or road.

Ways to Complete Asphalt Patching:

When paving companies use a cold patch, it is normally used as a temporary fix. Contractors will use cold patches to fill pot holes and fix any hazards that could cause someone to trip and injure themselves. Cold patches are a less expensive and easy solution as you only need a shovel and tamp for installation.

Another temporary fix is skin patching. While this method will last longer than a cold patch, it shouldn’t be used as a permanent solution as it is not as effective. Typically, skin patches are used for emergency repairs when a cold patch isn’t a viable option.

Another temporary patching solution that can outlive cold and skin patching is infrared patching. With infrared patching, the area in need of repair is heated to 400º with an infrared heater then cut with a rake for asphalt. New asphalt and liquid rejuvenator is then applied to supplement and compact the area. This is considered a temporary solution because it will only fix the surface of the asphalt.

For a more permanent fix, we recommend the cut, remove and repave method. This will fully replace the distressed area.

Depending on the damage done and your budget, there are plenty of residential and commercial asphalt repair methods available. To request a paving quote, contact Driveway Specialists by filling out our online contact form or calling us at:

For homeowners that are sick of their concrete driveways cracking and staining easily, we have the perfect alternative for you: driveway pavers. Below are a few advantages of choosing driveway pavers over a concrete driveway:

The paving stones used are extremely strong and are built to manage the weight of cars without damaging. Paving stones can last for years without having to be replaced or repaired.

Paving sealer will prevent stains that concrete driveways would see from rubber or oil leaks. Any marks left on a driveway paver can be removed with water.

If you find that there is damage to an area of your paver, just that area can be removed and replaced. There isn’t a need to waste money on replacing the entire thing.

Paving stones come in a variety of colors and can be arranged in various shapes and patterns.

Within a couple of days, a professional contractor, like Driveway Specialists, can install your driveway pavers.

To get started on adding curb appeal to your home, contact Driveway Specialists today to learn more about our driveway paver services. To request a quote, fill out our online contact form or reach us at the following numbers:

Winter rain and snow do their part to damage asphalt… and so do some of those snow plow drivers, whose blades can scrape up asphalt. A snow plow blade usually doesn’t cause too much damage to flat asphalt, but there’s potential for serious scraping where asphalt meets concrete and a lip forms. Does your parking lot have a concrete driveway? Check it for a suddenly craggy, damaged area where the asphalt and the concrete meet.

Old asphalt that has gone through several years of freeze/thaw cycles, poor maintenance, and three-day-at-a-time storms that Massachusetts likes to throw at us has likely gained a nice alligator-scaled appearance, or worse. Parking lots can get especially bad, as soil shifts beneath, depressions form, and entire chunks of asphalt disappear courtesy of daily traffic and periodic rainfall.

Putting off repairing or repaving your asphalt driveway or parking lot can create more headaches than the cost itself. A shabby appearance turns customers off, and potholes can cause serious damage to cars, bringing another set of troubles that take up time better spent running your business.

Contact Driveway Specialists today and schedule an inspection of your parking lot or driveway. With three generations of experience backing us up, you can know our assessment will be accurate. As for the work– we’ll let our reviews speak for themselves.